Avalanche’s Cale Makar Once Again Tops List of NHL's Best Defenseman
Cale Makar of the Colorado Avalanche was selected by NHL Network as the best defenseman for a fifth consecutive year.
The annual list is chosen by producers and analysts from the network. Makar retained his top spot by beating out defenseman Quinn Hughes of the Minnesota Wild.
This accolade for Makar comes after he concluded the 2025-26 NHL season third among League blueliners with 79 points and was a plus-40. After being named a finalist for the Norris Trophy, Makar became among the only defensemen in NHL history to be named a finalist for six of his first seven seasons across the NHL.
Cale Makar (@Avalanche) takes the top spot on NHL Network's Top 20 Defensemen Right Now list for the fifth straight year! 🥬
— NHL Media (@NHLMedia) August 9, 2026
📺: #NHLTopPlayers on NHL Network pic.twitter.com/0YooxA3Ur9
In addition, he became only the No. 11 defenseman in NHL history to have posted 20 goals in three consecutive seasons and was the first to do it in over three decades.
“We were talking a couple years ago about Cale Makar and Bobby Orr in the same breath,” analyst and former NHL defenseman Ken Daneyko said per the Colorado Springs Gazette. “I mean, that’s just unheard of because Bobby Orr for all intents and purposes is the best defenseman to ever play the game; (he) changed the game. And Cale Makar has been that dominant since he has come into the National Hockey League. … He’s still the best defenseman in the world, for my money.”
Fellow Avalanche defenseman Devon Toews also came in at No. 20 on the list of best defenseman; Hughes clocked in at No. 2 for the Wild.
Cale Makar's Future With Colorado Remains Top Priority
As recently reported by Colorado Avalanche On SI, this news comes as contract negotiations with Makar's agent through Bartlett Hockey and the Avs are ongoing.
Avalanche President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Joe Sakic has already gone on record to state that Colorado is looking to ensure Makar plays his entire on-ice career with the Avalanche.
“Cale is going to finish his career here," Sakic said per NHL.com. "We're already talking to his agent, so we're confident that something's going to get worked out at some point. I mean, he's got another year, but this summer we expect to have him signed.”
Makar currently only has one season remaining on his six-year, $54 million contract (a $9 million AAV). He originally signed in July of 2021 and is now eligible to sign an extension.
Under the new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) between the NHL and the NHLPA, which is to go into effect on Sept. 16 — teams will only be able to extend their own players (such as Makar, a two-time Norris Trophy winner) for seven years, while free agents can only get a max of six years.
Makar was originally selected by Colorado at No. 4 overall in the 2017 NHL Draft.
Jennifer Streeter graduated with a B.A. in journalism from Texas A&M and received her Master of Science from Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism. At both schools, she focused on an emphasis of sports reporting. A former athlete herself, "Jenny" was a varsity soccer player and comes from a family who participated in NCAA athletics. She has covered hockey since 2023 and is credentialed for the Seattle Kraken, New Jersey Devils and PWHL in addition to having covered the 2026 Frozen Four.